Netball Super League | Recovery Key in Double-Header, Says Stars’ Coach

Severn Stars’ Head Coach, Sam Bird, says recovery will be key as to who comes out on top as they go into a double-header, in which they will play the same team twice in four days.

She said that the fixtures, which sees Stars play Surrey Storm at the University of Worcester Arena tomorrow (Friday May 25) and then away at Surrey Sports Park on the Bank Holiday Monday (May 28), present a great opportunity to not only secure six points but also a position in the top end of the Vitality Netball Superleague table.

Stars had been set to host Storm back in early March, but the snowy conditions put paid to that. After a frustrating two-month wait, Severn Stars’ Head Coach Sam Bird says her team are up for the challenge.

“We want to play Storm,” said Bird. “We were frustrated we couldn’t play them when it snowed. The players are really looking forward to getting two big games down against Storm and we’re really up for it. Two matches against the same team in three days is unusual though for the teams and coaches.

“Recovery will be key for the second match away in Surrey. The travel always adds extra logistical challenges but our away performances have improved significantly over recent weeks and Monday should be no exception to that improvement. It’s a challenge preparing for a match against the same team in short succession as we have less time to review and examine the first performance. But I will be working overtime to push on for a second and stronger performance from our squad.”

Stars, a joint franchise between the University of Worcester and University of Gloucestershire, come off the back of an agonising 55-49 defeat to Manchester Thunder. Despite bringing the score back to within just three goals in a nail-biting finale, Thunder managed to hold on. But Bird, who said she was pleased with her side’s performance, is looking for a result this weekend. She revealed the team had had an extra training session this week in order to develop some of the key strategies they would need to deploy against Storm and to develop their own strengths and game plan.

“The weekend presents the chance for six points on the board and to secure us in the top half of the table,” she said. “Storm are a good team with a good history of success in the competition, but we have been performing strongly and we are looking to push on with that level of high performance this weekend.”

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Photo credit: Razorlight Imagery